Heralding from the Minneapolis, Minnesota area, Rob graduated from Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU) in Marshall, Minnesota where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in marketing and a minor in sociology. He leveraged his time in Marshall as a project manager at the Southwest Marking Advisory Center (SMAC), a student-center marketing organization that develops research-driven strategies and marketing solutions to help regional businesses and organizations expand their customer base and improve their services. After graduating, Rob signed with the professional area football team, the Sioux Falls Storm, to play quarterback during the 2004 and 2005 seasons. He joined the Bender Commercial team in 2005. Rob attained the designation of the leading commercial real estate association – the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors – an achievement only 1.5% of commercial brokers in the United States reach. Real estate professionals with the SIOR designation are recognized as the most experienced, knowledgeable, and capable real estate experts. Fagnan became a principal of Bender Commercial in 2013 and he became an executive vice president and managing director in 2021.